CENTRAL BANGKA -- To help increase fishermen’s catches, PT Timah through its CSR program once again provided assistance to fishing groups in Central Bangka Regency.
This time, PT Timah handed over aid to fishermen who are members of the Tanjung Gunung Sejahtera Cooperative, in Tanjung Gunung Village, Central Bangka Regency, to help them acquire much-needed fishing equipment.
The Chairman of the Tanjung Gunung Sejahtera Cooperative, Laode Minarto (42), said that the assistance from PT Timah will be managed collectively by the cooperative. The funds will be used to purchase crab traps and other equipment such as nets, lead weights, and ropes.
According to him, the support from PT Timah is very meaningful, as cooperative members face capital constraints. With this assistance, they can finally access better fishing gear.
“We decided to use a revolving system. Members can borrow equipment first and pay for it later. This really helps since many fishermen lack cash capital,” explained Laode.
Currently, he said, 26 of the 35 cooperative members focus on catching crabs, shrimp, and fish along the coast, while the other nine go further offshore using fish traps. With more adequate fishing gear, Laode hopes their catches will increase.
He explained that, on average, Tanjung Gunung fishermen catch 9–10 kilograms of crabs per day. At a price of IDR 65,000 per kilogram, their gross income is around IDR 650,000. However, operational costs for two to three days at sea can reach IDR 400,000–500,000, leaving only about IDR 200,000 in net income.
“We are very grateful to PT Timah for helping us. Our income is barely enough. With cooperative-managed fishing gear, we hope fishermen’s burdens can be reduced a little,” said Laode.
Looking ahead, he hopes PT Timah Tbk can continue to assist them in acquiring additional fishing equipment, such as outboard motors.
Meanwhile, Widi, a fisheries extension officer who has supported Tanjung Gunung fishermen since 2018, said PT Timah’s assistance is crucial for the cooperative’s development.
“This assistance will serve as additional capital, especially for fishing gear. The cooperative, whose members are all full-time fishermen, also runs a general store providing fuel, fishing gear, and provisions. This support strengthens the cooperative’s role as a logistics hub for fishermen,” he explained.
In addition to capital, fishermen also hope for improvements to the river channel, which often becomes too shallow, making it difficult for boats to pass during low tide.
“Two years ago, PT Timah helped dredge the channel, and the impact was tremendous, not only for Tanjung Gunung fishermen but also for neighboring villages such as Air Mesuk and Bukit Kijang,” Widi added.
He expressed appreciation for PT Timah’s continued support for fishermen in improving their welfare.
“We truly value PT Timah’s concern. This assistance is concrete proof of the company’s commitment to supporting fishing communities. Moving forward, we hope this collaboration extends beyond capital support to include infrastructure improvements that are urgently needed,” Widi concluded. (\*)
